


Thy Judgement Come

by tsubasafan



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Blink and you'll miss it, Blood, Fighting, Gore, Happy Ending, Horror, M/M, Other minor characters - Freeform, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 11:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11758893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsubasafan/pseuds/tsubasafan
Summary: Fai and Yuui have been running away their whole lives and when they stumble across another hunter they may just have to face what they've been trying to prevent.





	1. Chapter 1

Title: Thy Judgement Come  
Prompt:(Turn a Blind Eye)  
Rating:pg-13  
Warnings:minor blood, gore, fighting

 

'Stay hidden. Keep your face from being seen.' Fai pulled his hood further over his head, trying to hide as he waded through the crowds. Yuui wasn't far behind him. The city was too wet, too dark and stank of smoke and filth and the dank. He hoped they wouldn't stay long.

There were whispers of war. Negotiations between Clow and Celes had fallen through and it was said the king had turned his eye to the riches of the east.

It was no small wonder really. The country was beginning to feel cursed. A nearly six year drought had only been ended the previous year and the past spring had brought about a sickness that had killed a third of every village and city. No man, woman, or babe had been spared its grasp. With so few to work the fields, there was worry of food shortages come winter. Fall was already approaching as the days grew shorter and the nights colder. 

There had been reports of beasts lurking in the forests, coming out and snatching people who strayed too far. Some even told of giants and great monsters that walked the mountains and mists. ,i.'It's better that they don't know' Fai thought to himself. He had seen some of those horrors and most men were left as nothing but bones or had gone mad.

And now with doom and gloom possibly on the horizon there had been an outpouring of priests and zealots speaking of gods and men. Even now as he made his way through a market in Ravenrock, he could hear the priestess bleating to her sheep. 

Fai made a face before quickly schooling it back into indifference. He needed to get passage on a ship before winter set in. They had to run, leave the country to rot and ruin and find a safe haven.

"We only feed the darkness, the demons who call themselves gods yearn for the blood of the innocent!" The priestess stretched her arms towards the sky. "But hope is not lost, a savior will come! He is born under the blood sky, to rise as the hero of heroes with his silver sword bathed in the blood of his foes, to vanquish the darkness and all his ilk. We need only to look back at the great city of Valeria, wiped away in a single night of fire and blood, from their sins against the goddesses." He made a motion with his hands and people screamed and awed as flashes of lights burst above them. 

'Only mummer tricks.' He thought to himself as he walked behind the large crowd that had gathered to hear the priests words of some savior. She was a priestess of the goddess, teaching the ways of peace and forgiveness. It was good and all for children, but the world was cruel and full of terrors without needing to blame the monsters that lurked in the dark and deep places.

He sped away, running into someone who grunted. Fai didn't stop to see who it was.

"The inn." He heard Yuui said quickly, who kept his head down. Fai nodded and cut a path for them. A drink and maybe news might help.

A room would be a good change of pace as well. Better than curling up in sheds and stables. Yuui had managed to steal a few coppers days ago and it would buy them a cot, maybe even a meal.

The inn was bustling, there was a bard singing about toothless lions as drunkards sang along, sloshing half their cups on the wood floor below. Even a few dogs skulked around looking for scraps, but they were shooed out by a busty woman wielding a broom.

Amidst the chaos, Yuui paid for a single room and managed to haggle with the proprietor. Stealing away with their dinner, they left to their room. Fai let his cloak drop to the floor as Yuui set his bag on the floor by the cot. "Eat while at still hot. I'll wash some dishes for breakfast." 

"Yes, mother." Fai gave him a smile now that they were alone, sitting on the floor and grabbing his bowl. It was some sort of stew with a chunk of bread. Whatever it was it was good and filling. "You eat too."

"There are a lot of people here." Yuui said as he removed his cloaked and glanced out the window. There were still dozens surrounding the priestess. "Enough to pick pocket."

"And gain passage out of here." Fai added. It was a dream of theirs to run away from the troubles that plagued Clow. To find a place they could call home. "I wish I had some good ale." 

"Later. When it calms down I'll see what I can do." Yuui hummed and moved to sit beside him to eat. "I'd rather have a hot bath myself."

"We might be able to." The room had a wash basin, but it just wasn't the same.

"Later, for now I just want to eat and be off my feet." Yuui repeated. They'd been traveling for weeks, jumping from one village to the next. Always moving.

Fai dug out the small coin purse he had taken earlier and tossed it on his brothers lap. He watched as Yuui set his bowl down and emptied the purse onto his palm. Several coppers and some silver too. Plenty to take them further. "That man?"

"Of course. I didn't even see their face." Fai smiled and wiggled his fingers. They had felt guilty those first few years, but it was either starve or steal and Fai would do worse to keep Yuui fed and safe.

\---

They managed to get their drinks and some hot water to wash off that night before curling up together and getting some sleep. The sky grew dark under the new moon.

But Fai swatted when he felt something press into his cheek. "...sleep Yuui." He mumbled and nearly went back to sleep until he was touched again.

"Wake up bastard." 

'That wasn't Yuui.' He opened his eyes to see a man in the dark, a lone lantern cast just enough light to see him.

"Up, before I cut you down." Fai froze when he realized it was the blunt of a sword that had been hitting him. "Both of you thieves are coming with me."

"We are not thieves." Fai sat up, insisting. 

"Liar. You stole my money and I should take your hand for it, but I'll turn you over instead." He grunted, eyes narrowed. There was no fighting this one, he was big and broad, with the stance of a killer.

"We apologize. My brother didn't know who he was stealing from. Take it and leave us, we didn't spend any of your coin." Yuui said from behind Fai.

"Not enough. You two cutpurses have probably stolen from half the city. Now up, I won't ask again."

Both rose to their feet, Fai was trying to shield his brother. "This is a misunderstanding." He held up his hands.

"Take your things. We're leaving." It took only minutes, the stranger boring holes into them as they grabbed their meager belongings. "Take the sword out and any other weapons."

Fai winced and Yuui stared before they relented. Fai relinquished his knives and Yuui his short sword along with their pistols. The man saw the weapons and looked at them. "Hunters? Or did you steal these too?"

"Hunters." Fai told him. "We can't stay here."

"Why?"

"We are being hunted." Yuui told him, eyes piercing the man. It was a secret, but they could say give away some information to stay safe.

"What for? Another hunter?"

"We killed a monster, its followers aren't too happy because of it. Fai stole so we can find passage out of here." Yuui tried to reason.

"What sort of monster has followers? A brood mother would be devoured if she fell." He looked to be trying to decipher them, find some hidden meaning, but Yuui knew he wouldn't understand.

He tried not to remember the crying.

"If you let us go we can tell you." Fai tried smiling. 

"First you're going to answer for your stealing. Hunters do not pick pockets."

They were marched out onto the empty streets, lanterns gave off a faint glow and let Fai got a better look at the man. He swore. The black leathers and the emblem hanging around his neck could only mean one thing. "You're a hunter too. I haven't seen that badge before though." It looked like some winged creature, a raven or a demon.

Of all the people he could have stolen from it had to be another hunter. He could kick himself. "Listen, I truly am sorry, but you must understand mister hunter. My brother and I are just unfortunate bystanders. We did a job and are in some trouble, if you could just turn a blind eye we would be in your debt." Fai tried to reason with him since Yuui had failed. 

"Quiet or I'll take your tongue too." He growled as he walked behind them and seemed to be about to say something else when he stopped. Fai and Yuui both stopped and stared before someone came from an alley brandishing a spear. They struck at the stranger, who blocked the blow with his sword. Others appeared, circling them. 

"You slew Lord Eriol and we plan on making you replace him." One spoke, holding a small war hammer in his meaty hands.

"Give us our weapons and we can fight!" Fai yelled as the spearman had his weapon cut nearly in half and was disemboweled in short order. "Please!" The others ran at them. 

Yuui dodged a swipe from a knife. He watched the hunter growl before he reluctantly tossed Yuui's sword to him, Fai ran to grab it and landed a strike on a man who gurgled as he clutched his throat.

He tossed the sword to his brother, who caught it nimbly and swung the sword to slice another's throat. Yuui was better with it than he was. Fai dodged and danced about, tiring their enemies out before using his fists and feet. He would have preferred his gun, but he had to use what he had.

By the end of it there were several bodies on the street. "He is waiting...you must heed his call." Fai paled as he stood over the dying man. "You are trueborn, the blood..." He uttered before the light left his eyes.

Yuui walked over, putting a hand on his brothers shoulder. "We should have kept moving." He turned to look at the stranger. "My name is Yuui and this is my brother, Fai."No doubt someone had seen them and the city guard was being called.

"Kurogane." He grumbled as he wiped the blood from his sword. 

"Kurogane. We need to leave this city before dawn. If you want to live, come with us." It was Fai's turn to stare. Had Yuui gone mad?

"...Yuui."

"He will be a target now...I can't..." Yuui looked guilty and that hurt even worse than the scrapes he had. 

"For only a few days." Fai relented. He always relented when it was Yuui.

"I haven't agreed to go anywhere, but to take you two to a cell." Kurogane interrupted.

"There's no time for that." Fai shook his head. "Yuui is right. They'll hunt you down if you stay here."

"And who are they?" It sounded like he was unconvinced.

"They're led by the priestess of Menses." Fai explained. "They worship a demon that demands blood sacrifice. We killed one of their daughters and now they want revenge." A half truth wouldn't hurt. Not now.

"Menses?"

"An old order." Yuui added. "They're not well known anymore, but we must make haste."

Finally settled, Kurogane agreed and the three of them made quick work of leaving the city. Maybe it would give them enough of a head start this time.

\---

A few days turned into several days. Kurogane was no less a stick in the mud and Fai didn't trust him, but with another hunter helping them, they were seeing more coin. They had gone to a small village and helped rid them of a pack of wild dogs that had been terrorizing their sheep. Doing small jobs paid little, but every bit helped when it came to feeding them.

More often than not though they could see the suspicion in red eyes, especially when they came across potential leads.

Fai and his brother had sworn to rid this world of monsters and beasts and they would. They were careful around Kurogane, not letting the other hunter know too much.

Yuui sat in their room one night, flipping through an old journal they had found on their last hunt. He had seen Kurogane walk out earlier to do who knows what. "And so we must infer that the gods need pale blood. Where one might ascertain this...suitable blood is not clear at the time of this writing. Shashi has been in her trance for four days now, letting the gods speak through her and for her acolytes to try and decipher the meaning." Yuui swallowed thickly, he couldn't read anymore after having to say that name.

"Don't think about it." Even Fai had cringed at hearing it. It brought back memories of the dark and damp and the stench of blood. 

"They're looking for this stuff...pale blood?" It had been mentioned a few times throughout the journal, but the longer he read the more the writer sounded frantic and going further into madness.

"Blood isn't pale. Maybe they mean water?" Fai suggested as he was peeling an apple with one of his knives. "Water keeps you alive after all."

"...perhaps..." Yuui wasn't entirely convinced of it though. Damned lunatics writing in riddles, could no one ever be to the point? "After we killed Eriol...we swore we would find the others." They had wanted to take a ship further north and hopefully find leads before eventually leaving this cursed country behind for good.

"There are only three more that we know of." The old witch woman had said the names before Yuui had cut her down and the journal had talked about children. "We have Freya and Elda and then there's Euphemia. There's word of a great beast in the north. It hides away in a ruined town." Fai had overheard some travelers talking about the howling and screams that had come at night.

"We should go there first. Maybe we can find the older one after her." Yuui looked grim before he continued reading.

\---

Neither had told Kurogane the entire truth on why they were traveling so quickly north, only that it was for a contract. 

"Both of you are idiots, we should be preparing for this beast if it's as terrible as it sounds." He grumbled at them as they walked.

"And where is the excitement in that?" Fai crooned, walking lightly on the dirt road. Yuui was a few scant steps ahead. 

"It's supposed to be your duty, not fun." Kurogane groused.

"It can be both!" Fai laughed at himself. No need to let Kurogane know her name. "Monster slaying is necessary and exciting." Fai brought up his hands and clenched them into fists to show his excitement. "When you vanquish a worthy foe." 

Yuui grimaced behind him.

"And one day you'll go into a bloodlust and have hunters after you." Kurogane glared thoroughly. The two men never really got along, but then again Fai seemed to want to pester him at all costs. Though Yuui had caught Kurogane staring at his brother with some sort of intention in his gaze. He just couldn't decide on what sort it was. 

"Sounds like you've had to do that before."

"I've been through it before. I killed a few hunters before I was subdued. Broke my arm and had a hole in my hand." Kurogane explained as Yuui listened.

Fai was a little surprised by that. "They spared you? Must have been someone you knew."

"She was, she was the one who took me into the order." Kurogane left it at that. Fai knew that being a hunter meant you had to come to terms with the fact that family and friends and lovers didn't last long. Beasts either tore them a part or you did.

Yuui spared a glance to his brother. He trusted Kurogane, but would he try to kill them if he knew of their own sins? The man easily out matched them in physical strength and Yuui didn't want to test his skills on Kurogane to see who would win that particular fight.

"That emblem, its a dragon isn't it? What order was that? You never told us." Yuui offered a distraction before Kurogane started chasing Fai about again.

He glanced and saw Kurogane reflexively touch the metal circle. "Dragon Guard." He seemed pensive for a moment. "I was told as a kid that long ago that the moon was a giant egg and from it came dragons who burned away the evils of the world, but men were too wicked and even sacred fire can't destroy the darkness forever. We were sworn to guard the realms of men from evil, be they beasts or demons or men. Everyone is dead or have forgotten their oaths." He frowned solemnly.

"Giant eggs filled with dragons, now that is hard to believe." Fai grinned and Kurogane looked ready to throw something at him. "But its not that far fetched. I heard in Hanshin they eat bugs like sweets and Celes they eat nothing but snow and like to leave their children out in snow storms." He shrugged. The world was full of oddities. The three of them talked little as they walked on.

When they came to a crossing, they stopped to read the weathered posts. "We're looking for a...Greenhaven..." Fai looked down at them, having a hard time reading the old wood. "Ah here, it says it isn't far, this way." He pointed. "Probably just over the hill."

The area was quiet, with only dead trees to keep the three of them company. They marched on until they can upon the town in question. Years ago it would have been a charming little town, but now the forest was encroaching onto the land, trees sprouted through rooftops and nothing stirred. No smoke from fireplaces, no livestock, no people. 

Fai unhooked his knives from his belt and Yuui brought out his pistol as they walked ahead first. There was nothing but the sound of their footsteps and the sound of his own heart beating in his ears. 

When they had gone to Eriol, there had been crying in the end. Before that had been deformed mongrels and the cultists that had worshiped the babe. They hadn't been able to weed out the vermin and by the time they had realized that they had only taken out a small group, they had already decided to move on. Fai shook the thoughts from his head. It had to be done, they couldn't let him live.

"There's nothing here as far as I can't tell." Kurogane whispered. "No sign of thieves or bandits, no bears, no damage to the houses that would be caused by fighting."

"Do you hear it?" Yuui asked, ignoring Kurogane. He felt it, deep in his bones. Weeping. 

Fai could only nod. He had heard it too and they ventured to the church in the center of town. A graveyard stretched beside it, the doors had wood planks nailed across it. Must be another way in.

The wind picked up and groaning was heard. Fai looked up at the hole in the church roof, it sounded like the place was about to fall apart if a strong enough wind hit it. 

"You've come. Both of you came. I feel you." It was quiet, softly spoken enough that all three of them had to strain to listen. "You should have stayed gone, but I will have you regardless. I hear him calling, he needs you."

Steel slid from its sheath as Kurogane drew his sword. "It's time to end this...we can't let them continue to dream." Yuui told the voice, looking saddened. "You must rest." 

The groaning came again before the doors splintered and flew out towards them. Fai rolled away, landing back on his feet as Kurogane and Yuui had scattered. 'That had been a close call.' Damn, he had hoped it wouldn't be a fight.

What emerged was a great beast, tearing away at the door frame until he cracked and gave way under its strength. Rags of white cloth covered its slender body. It screamed as it ravaged the building, bursting forth into the dirt, it stood twice as tall them and three times as long. A beast that looked like something from a nightmare. It's fur was dirty and matted, a short face with long teeth and what looked like hands with dagger like claws.

Across its eyes were blood and empty sockets staring back at them. "I will devour you brothers." It said before lunging at Yuui whip quick, swiping a hand out along the ground, digging up a swath of earth in her wake. Yuui jumped high as Fai threw a knife into her rib cage. She screamed and a thick tail whipped back to throw him against the wall of an old house some yards away. Yuui shot a leg, leaving red in its wake, Kurogane charged as well. Between snapping jaws and claws they managed to make cuts here and there, bleeding the beast.

A tail came, turning up headstones and iron fencing behind them, flinging the rock and metal towards them. Fai had the wind knocked out of him when a chunk of stone struck him in the stomach. Collapsing onto the ground. Freya jumped and came for him, her jaws wide enough to reveal the rows of teeth. 

Fai saw her descend slowly from above, unable to even breathe let alone save himself. In an instant, Kurogane was there to swing his sword and lop off one of the beasts arms, cutting through the forearm like butter.

Freya wheeled back, heels digging into the earth as she crashed into the church. She screamed as thick blood poured from the wound. In Yuui jumped and pierced her chest with his sword, having tossed his pistol when he ran out of bullets, piercing her heart. He leapt back as the beast writhed and tried to regain footing on the muddy ground to no avail. They watched as the monster screamed and screamed as red ran down its face from empty eyes. It made Yuui's ears ring.

When it was silent, Yuui ran to his brother as Kurogane approached the corpse to make sure she was dead. 

"Fai, are you alright?" Yuui looked over his face for any sign of pain.

"Maybe a cracked rib or two." He smiled sheepishly, voice hoarse. He tasted copper in his mouth. Fai glanced over to see Kurogane swiftly take off the head. "Taking a trophy?"

"No, making sure it can't come back. We need to burn the body too." He told them and both twins agreed. 

When Fai felt well enough he helped them gather kindling and they stood and watched as the body burned. Kurogane stared into the flames, normally they would give some condolences, but it seemed too much had been said already. "The both of you have a lot of explaining to do and none of this vague shit you've been throwing at me for days." Flames flickered on dark skin as Kurogane glared at them.

Fai sighed heavily. Kurogane was stubborn as any mule he swore. "Cat's half way out of the bag now. Kuro-sword is a hunter and well, it can't be worse." 

"Do you trust us Kurogane?" Yuui asked him bluntly. "We have been a lone for a very long time and you're the first to ever stay this long with us."

They watched Kurogane for all of a few seconds before he scoffed. "I trust you, your brother less so."

"That's not very nice." Fai pouted. Honestly, Kurogane had a good instinct not to trust them. "And here I thought we were the best of friends."

"Then we can talk after we secure the area and make camp." Yuui nodded and sheathed his sword after wiping it clean. With their talks put on hold the three went about exploring. There was nothing but a skeletons hidden in homes. Kurogane had managed to find a few moth eaten blankets and Yuui found some broken hairs to use for a fire. They moved into the church for the night staying in a large room on the second floor. They secured the building as much as they could and hoped the charred remains outside would deter any creatures from visiting.

Kurogane sat across from the fire, having drug out an old iron kettle to burn it in. He chewed a piece of hard bread and waited on the brothers to start talking. The waxing moon above them gave little light to see by.

"I suppose you want to know everything?" Yuui asked, looking tired. Fai sat between them, shirtless save for bandages wrapped around his chest. He ached with each breath, but let his brother do the talking for tonight.

"I want to know what that was. When you told me we were hunting a beast, I didn't expect that. I want to know how that beast spoke, how it knew you two were brothers without having eyes, why did it warn you?" He began and Fai sighed. 

"You may as well tell him." Best to rip the bandage off quickly.

Yuui turned to his bag and dug out the journal. "This...this is from one of the priests. They were a sect from the cult of Menses and we found it after killing a few of their guardians and Eriol." He clutched at the old leather book. 

"Who is that? The leader of them?" 

"No, he was a...baby in a way. It's hard to say how old he was compared to a man, but to most he looked like a creature, to us he was a small child. He could only cry." Yuui explained.

Kurogane made a face like he didn't want to believe them. "You killed a baby still in the cradle?"

"You're not listening." Fai countered. "He was a half breed. Born from a mortal woman and an old God. We killed him because we promised to each other that we would kill all the children that he created. He wants to use them to live in this realm. There were once six that we knew of and now there are only two." 

"Gods and monsters? The only true monsters there ever were, were men made monstrous by stories." Kurogane told them. But he had helped them slay a monster just hours ago, he had put down beasts himself. Giant boars and demons the size of horses, never something like what they faced. "I left my order because all the old hunters ever did was drink and talk about the end of days when giant monsters would devour us all. Half of them just said it to scare the new recruits and townsfolk into paying them more." He waved his hand in dismissal.

"You saw with your own eyes today. Freya was born the way she was. Imperfect and beautiful. We slew her out of mercy." Yuui replied. "I could hear her crying."

"So she was born a monster?"

"Maybe? She could have looked normal and transformed into that. It's difficult to say, but she was wearing clothes and the town was abandoned years ago." Fai had an idea of what had happened, but couldn't stomach the thought.

"You said there were two more. Do you know where they are? Why was she here?" Kurogane had stilled and watched them.

"Elda is one, her sister. Euphemia is the other, another sister. Their names were in this book, they've been kept hidden away until Freya ran away." Yuui sat across from Kurogane and looked away.

"What happens if you kill them all?"

"We leave." Yuui answered as he flipped through pages.

"Can't they just make more?"

"It takes a long, long time." Fai interrupted as he looked at Kurogane. He saw the hunter about to speak before Yuui spoke up first.

"There are the great Gods. It's not the mother or the maiden or the crone people worship now. There is one who is evil. His followers aren't as strong as they used to be. They stay hidden and secretive after Valeria was destroyed." Yuui opened the journal and flipped through its yellowing pages. "'It's said that the gods yearn for children, but they can't have children of their own so they breed with mortals. Most of these attempts end in failure, others in half formed offspring who die soon after and then there are those who are monstrous. There are three born of women we brought to the great temple. Three great daughters who I am sure will please the gods in all their glory. Shashi's womb has quickened with the gods seed and if the gods are good she will swell and bear him a living son with whom he can use to breech this world and make it his own.'" Yuui closed the book again and looked a little pale.

"They were stealing women or using their own to use as broodmares for some unholy creature." Fai spat and brought his knees to his chest as he stared into the flames. 

It seemed as if Kurogane was processing it all as he remained silent. After some time he sighed drawing the twins attention. "I'll help you destroy them. You need the help."

"We couldn't. It's very dangerous." Fai insisted. "We don't want your blood on our hands."

"Then you could have warned me about what we were going up against this morning." He glared. Kurogane had a point.

"If at of your own volition, then you can come with us. You can leave whenever you want." Yuui added.

Kurogane scoffed. "I'm a hunter, one of the last and I'll be damned if I turn tail and run now. You will have my sword in the fights to come." 

Yuui let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank you."

\----


	2. Chapter 2

When they found Elda, she looked much the same as her sister, but instead of matted fur there was only black skin stretched over a skeleton with burning white fire where her eyes should have been. She screamed and cursed at them, tearing apart the forest they had found her chained in.

Kurogane had brought his sword between her hollow eyes, ending her screams. They burned her body like her sisters and stepped through the gates she'd been made to protect. 

The ruins had taken them further underground, endless stairs with only moonlight and their torches illuminating the paths. They came across horrors, piles of bones, skeletal hands still reaching for something. The old keep eventually led them back out into a valley.

When they came to more forests they were attacked by ravenous wolves and snakes that sprang from under their feet. Walking onward found them out of the forest and down a stony path into a rocky and cavernous valley. There seemed to be nothing living here as they made camp in a rocky alcove. The further they went, the more dangerous things became it seemed.

They made camp in what was left of an old shack. A dead tree had broken through the roof demolished a wall. Yuui sat making a fire in the old fireplace. Fai and Kurogane had left to hunt earlier and had come back with rabbits. They had let Kurogane skin them while Fai roasted them. It wasn't much, but they had survived on less. 

"One more isn't it?" Kurogane had asked them in the quiet. 

Fai paused to look over and smile. "Yes and then Yuui and I are leaving this miserable country. What do you plan on doing?"

"I don't know. Everywhere is a shit hole nowadays." Kurogane shrugged and grunted and that made Fai laugh. "If war is coming, then I may leave as well. There won't be any work for a hunter."

"You could come with us?" Fai suggested and Yuui paused to listen in, his back to them. 

"Maybe. If I'm alive after all of this we can talk."

"It's a deal then." Fai grinned playfully. "I think me and Yuui have been growing on you." Count on Fai to try and lighten the dreariness of their situation.

"Idiot." Kurogane had scoffed and looked away.

Yuui smiled and shook his head.

\---

In the week that had followed they had started to become more than just hunters stuck traveling together. Fai had even apologized properly a few days ago about stealing from Kurogane. Yuui suspected there were feelings between the two of them. He had seen the shared glances and the lingering touches. If his brother could find some solace in the waking world, he was happy for it.

They could rely on each other and Yuui hoped it was enough. 

They made camp that evening and Fai had ventured out with Kurogane to look for food. Yuui was working on a fire.

Fai watched as Kurogane stood and closed his eyes. He had learned it was a part of the man's training. He could use his other senses to detect living things around him. It helped a person fight in the dark. he had never seen Kurogane use it properly before. Fai bypassed him.

"I'm sorry we had to drag you into this." Fai said as he stepped over a tree root. "If I could take it back I would."

"Forget it idiot. I'm here to see things through with you." Kurogane looked mildly uncomfortable at his own words. "You don't pay attention enough and I don't need some mad man loping off your head because you're too careless." He had his sword at his hip as they walked.

"That's very kind of you. Keep talking so sweetly and you just might sweep me off my feet." He could admit Kurogane was comely. In another life, Fai would have wanted a future with Kurogane, but what could he hope to have now when he was walking to what was probably his death? Best not to think about it, he didn't want to be upset. Kurogane gave a choked sound.

"Some people wouldn't appreciate talk like that."

"Are you some people?" Fai hesitantly asked and tried to stamp down a rare feeling of hope in his chest.

"No." Kurogane hurried to walk by Fai, making noise as he stomped through the underbrush, leaving Fai to smile in his wake.

\---

Come morning they kept going forward, coming to a field with an old cabin. What was unexpected was the smoke that rolled gently from the chimney. It was so out of place that Fai had to look twice to make sure it wasn't some trick of the eye. They approached it cautiously, weapons drawn in case it was some trap.

The door opened on its own, Yuui nearly jumped out of his skin as he watched it. "Come inside before you bring in more than yourselves." Fai was the first to enter and found a beautiful woman sitting at a table, a fine porcelain set of cups set out in front of her. "Welcome hunters. Sit and eat. I mean you no harm here in my home."

"A woods witch? All the way out here?" Fai asked. Though it was hard to determine where exactly they were. Usually things that meant harm were twisted an grotesque. 

"I guard the way and keep the evils in the forest at bay." She smiled sweetly enough and drank from a cup. Her black hair shone like glass. "I was once a hunter too. I took a butterfly for my mark, but I wonder if that was a dream."

The three of them sat, still wary of their hostess. "There used to be a lovely city some miles from here, but I'm afraid beasts over run it now. Soon too their time shall come. Failed creatures, the poor souls." She looked towards a window. 

"Do you know the name Euphemia?"

"A princess, the realms delight, they called her until she died in her bed of blood." The woman shook her head regretfully. "I remember her blue eyes the most, yours reminds me of hers."

"Dead?" Fai wondered. So she hadn't turned into a monster. Had she known what had awaited her?

"My name is Fai and my brother Yuui. We came to hunt her down and slay her, but if she's truly dead..." They had finished their goals.

"If you truly wanted to stop things you would have gone back to the source a long time ago moon child." She glanced at Kurogane and grinned. "I see what you are, what you were made to be and I see a greatness in you that makes me ache for my blades."

The way she said it so calmly was unnerving. "And what is your name my lady?" Yuui asked her. Kurogane's hackles had been raised it seemed as he growled beside Fai.

"Such manners!" She laughed and clapped her hands, her demeanor brightening at once. "They used to call me Yuuko and I am at your service."

"Yuuko..." it sounded strange on the tongue. "Why did you invite us in?"

"I told you, I used to be a hunter just like you, but then I saw that I was meant to stay right here." She waved her hands out. "And here I stay. Guarding the way and hoping that this dream will end. I'm here to give rest and safety to those who make it this far. You slew them, every one, even though it pained you to do so. They know and they will come for you day and night."

"Now, you will each have a room and food. Tomorrow you will be on your way." 

"We meant to leave and head back to the capital." Fai wanted to leave this wretched country behind. 

"You could, but what man comes right to the end before turning around? You've been looking away your entire life and now that you're on the precipice, you wish to be blinded?" A thin eyebrow rose questioningly. "You see them. How they cling to this world, but cannot touch it. Your eyes are open when all the worlds are closed, but you choose to be blinded anyways."

"She's mad. All she's done is talk in riddles and gibberish." Kurogane accused and looked to Fai for some solidarity on the issue. 

"I...I don't know. It's rude to say so to our hostess don't you think?" What she was saying dug as deep as any knife. Fai gave a half hearted smile to Kurogane in reassurance. He smelled the smoke though, drugs to help with her visions no doubt. He had heard of oracles using poisons and vapors to see into the future. Was that her trick?

"It's alright. I don't receive many guests so I tend to talk harsh truths." Yuuko told them plainly.

"Are you a dreamer then?" Yuui asked.

"I am." It explained some things. Dreamers didn't know if they were in the waking world or not if they were strong enough. Many took special droughts to be comatose and wake with visions in their eyes. 

They sat and ate and drank and as Yuuko promised nothing had been tampered with. It was alcohol with fresh bread and fruit. Filling enough. At the end of the evening when the moon was rising, she showed them to their rooms. 

Yuui stayed awake, reading a manuscript they had found in an abandoned building that had been overrun with beasts. 'And from this glorious union sprang forth two children, beautiful and whole. They shall please the gods and be vessels for their coming. They will ascend to a greater plain and bring about their parents return-' he paused to listen when he heard faint movement outside. A soft click of a door being opened and shut. Was it Yuuko? Or had Kurogane decided to go snooping? He waited and listened and he thought he heard whispers. The house groaned and settled as he strained for any sign of emergency. When there was none he went back to reading. He hoped it would have answers.

\---

Come morning, Yuui dressed and came out to find he was the last one to wake. Fai was enjoying fresh eggs in the kitchen as Kurogane sat close and drank. "Yuuko said she was going to take a bath." Fai told him when he came and sat down.

It was a strange reprieve, but it was a welcome one. "Someone was moving about last night." He mentioned as he poured himself a cup of tea. Fai smiled over his cup and Kurogane stuffed eggs into his mouth. "And we need to decide if we want to go back or head forward."

"I say forward. If all this talk of gods is true and it's not just them breeding monsters, then we need to kill the leaders of this cult and be done with it." Kurogane explained.

"I want to leave this place, but we will never be rid of them unless we go to them." Fai looked downtrodden at the idea.

"It seems that way Fai." Yuui smiled sadly. "But someday we will leave Clow and be happy."

It took only a couple of hours for them to finish up and leave. Even Kurogane thanked Yuuko as they stood outside her home. She stood in the door frame and smiled. "I wish you good fortunes. Though the ink is dry."

Yuui paused though when he remembered something from the day before. "Yuuko, can you tell me what pale blood is?"

She smiled. "Dear boy, you need only to look up. I think tonight will be for the hunters." She glanced up at the clear sky. 

They left without a clear answer. Through the fields and woodlands they came to the city Yuuko had mentioned.

It was beautiful and grand, but seemed empty. There were tall bell towers and a castle in the distance. They walked the streets and before long came across a group of people huddled in an alley. When they turned they saw blinded eyes staring at them, the flesh had gone grey, stretched thin over sharp bones. They had been dead for some time. It didn't take much effort to put them out of their misery.

"What is this place? It couldn't be that old could it?" Was this where Euphemia was a princess? Were they even in Clow anymore? It felt strange. Fai wiped his knife clean.

"The last we looked at the maps we were close to the borders of Celes." Yuui mentioned. "This may be one of their cities." If it was, what had happened to its people?

"If there are any answers we will find it in the castle." Kurogane motioned. 

"Kuro-hunter is so smart." Fai purred, since there was no eminent threat there was no need to not embarrass Kurogane, especially after the man had come to him last night.

"It's not my fault you're too stupid to figure it out! Damned fool!" He complained and stomped forward a light blush dusting his cheeks.

Yuui looked to his brother, who only winked. 

The trek took them longer than expected. Yuuko had been right about the beasts lurking about. Wolfish things that leapt at them and snarled, mad with rage, but were smart enough to flee instead of being felled. Dogs had gone rabid and what people remained tried to kill them with pitchforks and kitchen knives. The worst had been the large ones too big bodies, they looked like the skin they wore was ill fitting, stretched to tearing in places over their bodies, hunched and mangled in their deformity. Milk white eyes stared hollowly as they charged, maws wide and flashing yellow crescent teeth.

They kept quiet and moved quickly, dispatching beasts where they found them.

The sun was beginning to set by the time they reached the castle gates, which were closed. "Damn." Fai kicked his boot against the iron. "Can't really climb it." It was too tall and then they couldn't climb the stone above it. "There must be another way. A servants door?" 

"Perhaps." Yuui stood and tried to think. While both brothers tried to formulate a plan, Kurogane walked away to scope out the area. There was no one on the battlements, no guards posted. 

All was quiet except for a few birds that scattered when Kurogane walked closer. "How good are you two at leaping?"

The twins turned to look at him and saw him pointing up. "We climb to the roof of this house, we might be able to make it across." It was one of the issues when cities became overpopulated and the need for houses grew out of hand. The curtain wall was close enough to twenty feet tall and the house was close to that. "Maybe find some rope. A grappling hook would be nice."

"Maybe we can make one?" Fai suggested. 

"It would risk breaking a leg or dying if we missed." Yuui countered. "We should look for a path before jumping across buildings."

"Fine." Kurogane groused. "It'll take longer." 

"We have time."

\---

What they had found was a ladder in one of the lower levels of the city. Below them ran a river that took sewage out of the city and through a few tunnels filled with rats they found a ladder that led into a store room. "I think we found one of those secret escape routes." Fai joked. The barrels and crates were full of molded grain and the like, bags chewed by rats. They hurried out after Kurogane broke open the door, leaving it in splinters. 

The courtyard was overgrown and empty as nearly everywhere else had been, that was until a figure in red robes walked out. Kurogane was the first to run at him, slicing the man in half before he could alert anyone.

Fai and Yuui were close behind and came up on the corpse. The scarlet robes hid the blood well as he seeped into the stone underneath. Fai kneeled to look him over. An old man and Fai frowned when he saw the milky white of his eyes. 'Blind.' Of course he would be, it was for his own protection. And they he saw the heavy chains. Black iron speckled with rust. "They must be inside."

Beside him Kurogane grunted and moved to swat at his arm, but he stopped. Fai saw it then, a thin needle sticking from his arm and before they could guard themselves his vision began to blur.   
A figure moved from the corner of his eye, but he was too slow. He watched as a blade caught Yuui along his side, watched his blood spill on the floor. 

Fai had tried to yell for his brother, but his voice didn't work.

\---

She had been called Mistress. She had bore them for Inam who she revered more than anything else in the world. Fai and Yuui had suspected she'd been raised for the sole purpose of being nothing but one of many broodmares for dark gods.

But she had been strong in her dark arts. They had been told of her prodigal abilities in blood magic. How she sang under the full moon and slept with beasts. How she'd wept tears of rapture when her belly had swollen with them. Gifted with children from the Inam himself.

She had died screaming on the altar to birth them into the world and from that moment on there had been no warmth in the world for them save from each other.

His head swam at the visions that flooded his mind's eye.

\---

When he woke, he found himself bond in rope, arms to his sides. Yuui and Kurogane were beside him, waking as well. "We were drugged. Yuui, are you alright?"

"No shit." Kurogane growled and moved to sit up. He tested the chains and heard them groan in protest. "Looks like they used old rope." He grinned deviously as he struggled for a moment, the rope rubbing against his clothed arms. In such a damp place, rope wouldn't stay strong for long. 

"It wasn't deep, I feel a bandage. I think they tried to stop the bleeding." Yuui explained. Fai glanced around as Kurogane worked on breaking free. By the looks of it they hadn't been moved far, the walls were the same white as the rest of the castle. 

Before freedom could be theirs, their jailers came. Men dressed in dirty red robes, tattered and stained around the edges. All blinded and wearing the great eye on their chests. They were lifted and marched up a stair case and into an expansive courtyard that overlooked the city. Withered trees and dead brush were all that remained of the gardens they walked passed.

There were pushed to the ground at the foot of a great stone altar made of polished black stone and beyond it was something he had never seen before. A great blue pulsing heart, suspended between two pillars. On either side were ranks of worshipers. The castle must be crawling with them.

A woman stood before it and when she turned she was wearing a mask of silver that covered her eyes.

"The prodigal sons have returned. May Great Inam forgive us for taking such a long time to fulfill our promise." She held her arms up, wide and inviting, her red lips twisted into ecstasy. "He will come now and bring about a new age for man. He will scourge the earth of those who call him false and we will be the ones to rule this world in his name."

Fai was bound in heavy rope, bruised, but not beaten too badly. They dared not hurt him too much. Yuui was similarly tied beside him, his brother a sickly pale and bleeding still. Kurogane had not been so lucky by the hiss he gave when he was shoved to his knees. 

He despaired as the priestess took a knife from an acolyte. Fai had tried so hard to fight his fate, but he had only prolonged the inevitable. Kurogane. Yuuko had been right. 'The ink was already dry.'

He wanted to weep, but he'd shed all of his tears years ago.

They filed in with practiced ease. Each woman was blindfolded, carrying a lantern in her delicate hands. They were blinded so as not to go mad during their rituals, to keep their eyes from seeing too much. They placed the lanterns along the altar, the light absorbed into the stone. 

Even now he still remembered. The endless days of singing the songs and so much training to be worthy. Being taught they were special, important, that their father was proud and loved them. When in reality they had been raised like pigs for slaughter. To give up their existence for an abomination.

He remembered a test once. Left alone on top of the ruins of the old temple to see their so called father. Others had tried and Fai had seen the old woman after she had scratched out her own eyes. She'd bled out on the cold floor in front of him. They had burned her body in sacrifice that night.

He and Yuui had seen with their eyes the creatures that lurked on the precipice of this world and the cosmos that lay beyond and came out fearful and hard from it.

Great Inam was a conglomeration of things that Fai still could not describe what was so familiar yet not. It was utterly inhuman, he had looked like no creature that had walked the earth, but yet he had looked like everything. 'No one can look at such a monster with impunity' even its own children, they hadn't been blinded or stricken mad, but the memory had become fuzzy, their mind blocking most of what they'd seen to keep them sane and whole.

It was after that they had made plans of escaping and after months of tracking the temples guardians and finding a moment, they had fled and snuck aboard a ship in the closest port town they could scramble to. They had been running ever since, not daring to look back for fear of what they might see.

They had become hunters after they had grown. When they had heard rumors and found out about other like them. Half siblings that had been born into a dark and cruel existence. They had made a vow to end them everyone, to stop their suffering.

Why had they been so special? They could have been born into this world as twisted and ugly things beyond mortal comprehension, but they had come out whole and the most human like of the half breeds. Fai had asked himself for so long, but never had an answer.

Why now? Why did these memories have to come to the surface again, had he not buried them deep enough?

"This hunter has strong blood and will be an ample sacrifice." She said aloud and walked over to Kurogane. There was soft singing starting from her acolytes as she raised her blade to cut the man's throat. Fai had tried to scream, but then Kurogane had grabbed the knife and wrenched it easily from the priestess, only to drive the blade into her heart.

It was then that things erupted into a storm of noise and movement. Kurogane was swift as he cut through foes, trying to find a proper weapon. Fai had watched as Kurogane found his sword on one of the bodies, he'd thrown the dagger towards Fai, and used it to cut through others. He and Yuui were ignored as they gathered around Kurogane. 

It was difficult, but Fai managed to cut himself free and went to Yuui.

He scrambled and cut Yuui loose. "Can you fight?"

"Enough." Helping Yuui to stand, they turned away from each other to fight.

People came at them swinging weapons. Fai barely dodged a woman with a spear, but managed to wrench it from her and pierce her in the gut. Yuui faired similar, the priests and the rest didn't want to kill them and face the wrath of their god. Kurogane was having the rough end of it, blindfolded and unable to spare a moment to remove it. A great brazier was knocked over, spilling oil across the ground and catching some on fire. 

It was up to them to protect him and fight with him. From the corner of his eye he saw a man wielding a mace at Kurogane.

 

A choked scream left the man as he watched Kurogane drive his sword through the priests stomach. Fires raged and people ran and screamed in terror and then suddenly there was nothing.

The vast silence of it all was deafening and when Fai looked up he /saw/. A great limb, reaching, the skin black as tar and twisted like the root of an ancient tree. He reached, but could not touch. Not yet.

'No, not that. Anything but him.' It filled Fai with a terror he had never known before. He could hear the calling of it, as soft as a mother's kiss, and deep down a part of him wanted to reach out. 

He wanted. Every inch of his body wanted to call out, wanted to be. His eyes darkened and narrowed, the reflection in them of endless possibilities, of countless stars and the power to change the heavens if he so wished. All in his grasp. He could see everything. 

It was like floating. He could see everywhere all at once, every moment that had ever transpired here was happening at the same time. Like this, time was meaningless. Fai was something vaster, more ancient and darker than any ocean dreamed to be.

He felt something dull in the back of his head. A pinprick that surged and rolled until he came to the forefront of his being and he looked away from his fate. 'I am bleeding' 

His gaze turned to Kurogane, who glared with such fury at him. Ash smeared across his cheek. Fai felt as if he had woken from a dream, mind trying to process what was going on. 

Kurogane was yelling at him and it took a moment to understand. Fai pulled his hand back down to his side, mind clearing as the connection faded.

He looked at his hand, dazed and feeling lost as Kurogane shook him and said something he couldn't hear

Fai had heard the command as a whisper, everything was going by so slowly. Time came to a crawl as Kurogane pulled back and away.

The great hand remained in the blood red sky, a vast red moon above them, calling to him almost gently. It happened so slowly. Kurogane jumped, slaying the head priestess by cutting her in half. Her blood spilled on the steps of the altar, dripping down the black stone. 

Kurogane leapt and plunged his steel into the heart and all at once the silence was broken by a scream.

It shook Fai to his core as he fell, helpless to the floor. His nails dug into his skin, trying to muffle the sound. 

He gasped for breath and writhed on the floor, body convulsing as the link was broken. He felt so empty, severed from the cosmos. Fai felt insignificant, a grain of sand in an endless ocean.

Yuui wasn't far behind, gasping for air as screams of anguish erupted around them. He looked over to see Kurogane as the man was wrenching his sword fear from the dead heart. Silvery blood speckled the man's face, his hands and arms were covered in it.

"Kurogane! Over here!" He yelled, voice hoarse. He looked up to see that great hand falling, the black-green skin peeling away like leaves in the wind and dissolving into nothingness. 

When the hunter made it to him and lifted Yuui to stand, the blonde panted. "Fai...we have to get out of here." He pointed towards his brother. Kurogane ripped the blindfold off, letting it fall to the ground.

As people scrambled they managed to take Fai and carry him out. Black smoke filled the air and more than a few people ran by on fire others were babbling nonsensically on the ground. With most of the guards dead and the followers dying like flies, they managed to rush out of the castle before the whole thing crashed down on their heads.

Fai only heard voices and the smelled the scent of blood before his vision went dark and before darkness claimed him he saw red give way to endless black above them and the stars. 

\----

When Fai awoke, he found himself in a bed. He felt so weak he could barely turn his head. What had happened? Groaning, he could only remember Kurogane drenched in blood and being carried. He wanted Yuui, he wanted Kurogane. 

"You're awake." Fai was startled as he slowly turned his head to see Kurogane. The other man was sitting in an armchair, his arms folded across his chest. He saw bandages wrapped around his arms and peeking out from under his clothes. 

"I am. Yuui?" His throat was dry.

"He's taking a nap." Kurogane told him as he shifted in the chair, looking mildly uncomfortable. "He was up all night watching you."

"I saw you...the heart." He had seen much and more than that. He had seen Kurogane as an old man and a boy, had seen him die in endless ways in endless times. "Thank you."

"I thought I had killed you." Fai could hear the worry in his voice. "You were convulsing and Yuui had to keep you from biting your tongue while we dragged you back to the witch's house. She's been drinking herself into a stupor in celebration ever since."

So that's where they were. "I can never repay you."

"I didn't do it expecting to be paid. The both of you are poor as dirt." Kurogane smirked.

Fai couldn't help but laugh. "Are you sure this isn't the afterlife? Kuro-growl made a joke."

"It's true. About the money." He clarified much to the blondes amusement. 

"I know." There was so much he wanted to say, to do. There was time now for it and he wanted to pick up those pieces and live with Yuui and Kurogane at his side. Before he could say more Yuui walked in and was nearly in tears when he saw his brother awake.

"I thought I had lost you to the void." Yuui was hugging him gently, face buried against Fai's neck.

"You nearly did." If Yuui hadn't been hurt, he would have been the one chosen. Fai was happy that it was him. "We can finally forge our own path."

"We can." Yuui was smiling when he pulled away. "Kurogane will be tagging along, but I don't think you will mind."

"Of course not, it wouldn't be nearly as fun without him." Fai smiled wider.

"I'm still in the room." Kurogane huffed much the twins amusement. Yawning, Fai felt better than he had in a long time as if some great weight had been lifted. 

"And I owe my thanks to our hero." Fai mused and was delighted when Kurogane blushed and glared. Perhaps there had always been a small glimmer of hope that fate would bend and yield to his wishes, maybe it was always supposed to be this way. In any case, Fai was happy he had been given the chance to try. Yuui couldn't help but laugh, their nightmare was over and finally they could live the peaceful life they had dreamed of.

\--   
Any author’s notes  
The title comes from Revelation 18:10, I wanted to fit the whole line in, but didn't think I would be able to. 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgement come.'

A lot of references to the moon in here ( blood, pregnancy, hunters moon, etc)and references to bloodborne, a song of ice and fire, and other apocalyptic/cosmic horror stories. It's my first time in the genre and so I hoped I managed to get some of it across. I'm sure there are edits and such that are needed, I'll try and correct them later.

Thank you for reading.

~the end.

 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title comes from Revelation 18:10, I wanted to fit the whole line in, but didn't think I would be able to. 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgement come.'
> 
> A lot of references to the moon in here ( blood, pregnancy, hunters moon, etc)and references to bloodborne, a song of ice and fire, and other apocalyptic/cosmic horror stories. It's my first time in the genre and so I hoped I managed to get some of it across. I'm sure there are edits and such that are needed, I'll try and correct them later.


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